Even if I'd remained in the military, there was no telling where I would have ended up. There were any number of outcomes that could have been worse than my current situation.
Thomas could have chosen someone else, but he didn't. He chose me.
I liked the life I'd built for myself. It suited me in a way the other hadn't. I'd been kidding myself then, forcing myself to conform when I'd never been particularly good at pretending.
"Thomas." I stopped, unsure what to say.
Thomas's barriers snapped into place, his mask impenetrable and haughty. Once upon a time, it would have made me itch to force a reaction.
I resisted. Maybe it was time to let go of the past.
"Thanks." I didn't explain what I meant, leaving it at that. He didn't have to know I was thanking him for his role in my life.
The sound that left his mouth was more of a huff as he gave his head one shake. "Don't thank me for this, Aileen."
"You're allowing me to be my own person. I appreciate that." Then, because it was still me and I had a feeling Thomas would be insufferable otherwise. "I know that's hard for you."
His gaze flared, but I was already straightening from the window and stepping back.
Connor studied me. "You've forgiven him for his wrongs against you."
I arched an eyebrow at my sort of brother. "Would that be so bad?"
Connor considered. "It gives him leeway to wrong you again in the future."
I hummed as we walked toward my apartment. "I don't think so. Forgiveness isn't quite the right term either. I like to think of it as moving past my anger."
I stopped at the base of the steps and faced him, sensing this conversation was about more than just my problem with my sire. "Maybe vampirism isn't the life choice I would have made before, but I can't deny I don't appreciate the benefits."
Connor digested my statement.
"That doesn't mean you have to do the same," I pointed out. "Give him as much hell as you want. I've no doubt he deserves it."
"It doesn't feel quite right if you abandon the fight."
That startled a snort of amusement from me. "I fully intend to be as difficult as possible with our sire. Don't get me wrong. Tweaking his nose is the highlight of my afterlife. I'll just be doing it without a whole lot of baggage dragging me down."
I knew myself, and troublemaker was practically stamped in my DNA. That wasn't going to change just because I conceded Thomas wasn't the devil incarnate.
"It'll be a whole lot more fun this way," I told him.
"Fun?" he muttered as if never hearing the word before.
I hid my grin as I let us into the house, stepping aside as Connor walked in first. He disappeared down the hallway, checking the bedrooms and bathroom.
I let him, checking my phone. Just in time. The captain should be here any moment.
"Inara, Lowen, you around?" I called.
No answer.
"I have a situation I could use your input on," I said, looking around.
That should bring them out. Inara loved weighing in with her opinion.
Connor appeared in the hallway. "Nothing looks disturbed."
"Have you seen the pixies?" I asked.
